Loveland is a city of hearts and art, where cupid throws his dart and citizens do their part.

And that dart just might be in the form of the official Loveland valentine, which was unveiled by the Chamber of Commerce on Monday at McKee Medical Center. The unveiling kicks off the 67th annual Valentine Re-Mailing Program.

Hearts and Art

Denise Andrews doesn't write poetry and has never entered the Loveland valentine contest before. But when the lines for a valentine verse came to her, she wrote the words down about a city with heart and love that is a foundation without end.

She thought about her love for friends, co-workers and family and wanted the verse to apply to different relationships.

Andrews has lived in Loveland since 1990 and loves the valentine holiday. She and her children participate in the search for the heart every year, and she always buys a heart for her husband that hangs from a light post.

She decided to enter the contest and was pleased to get the call of acceptance. "I'm not a writer at all. It just came to me in the shower," she said. "And it's such a great meld with the artwork."

John Metcalf is this year's card design winner. Metcalf incorporated a sculpture by George Lundeen into a vintage-looking design. He took photos around Loveland and experimented with colors and textures until he settled on the final piece.

"I wanted to make it representative of Loveland, the hearts in Loveland and the overall feeling," he said.

Cupid and his Dart

Corry McDowell, in her ninth year as cupid designer for the stamp cachet, drew a cowboy character mailing a valentine with his bow and arrow at his side.

She said she has a couple more spaces left in the shadow box where she collects the cupid designs she's done over the years. After that, she'll just have to start another box or retire from designing her iconic cupids.

"It's fun being able to do art here and there," McDowell said. "I'm a caregiver, and this is my getaway from that."

Verses

Inside verse: The inside verse, written by Denise Andrews, says;"Greetings from Loveland, the City with Heart,

Whose Foundation is Love and whose passion is Art.

To sweetheart, family, new or old friend,

Bearing Valentine wishes for Love without end!"

Cachet verse: The cachet verse was written by Mary Jo Clark and says;

"A text, Twitter, or e-mail will do,

But not the same as a love letter from you.

From the 'Sweetheart City' on Valentine's Day,

Sending wishes the old-fashioned way."

Purchase: The official Loveland valentine card can be purchased at area retailers and online at loveland.org.

Mary Jo Clark has entered cachet verses for nine years, and this is her first time chosen. Her seven sisters helped her brainstorm a modern-day verse that talks about the old-fashioned idea of mailing a physical letter versus Twitter, Facebook and texts.

"I've never even seen Twitter. I've heard of it, but what is it?" McDowell said.

Clark's verse says that social media is "not the same as a love letter from you ... the old-fashioned way."

Citizens Do Their Part

Mindy McCloughan, president of the Chamber of Commerce, unveiled a new concept this year to send "random acts of love."

She kicked off the initiative by asking the CEO of McKee Medical Center, Marilyn Schock, and this year's Miss Loveland Valentine, Madison Polansky, to sign a card to send to New York to share a message of love after Hurricane Sandy.

"In 2013, it's an opportunity to hand-write and send a special greeting to a special someone from Loveland, Colo., as a random act of love," McCloughan said.

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